Summary
Arts Towada, in the centre of Towada City, Aomori Prefecture, is a “town-making through art” project comprising three elements: artworks, the Towada Art Center as its core facility, and an art programme. The first phase, the Towada Art Center, opened in April 2008, and in April 2010 the second phase, Art Square, opened on the south side of the museum. Alongside permanent works by thirty artists from Japan and abroad, the site hosts exhibitions, workshops and art programmes run in partnership with local residents and the neighbouring shopping street.
Tetsuyuki Nagata, representative director of offsociety, served as supervisor of the overall plan from 2002, formulating it from virtually nothing. He was involved at every stage — the selection of artists and works, the museum’s functions and spatial programme, the architect selection proposal, and the operating policy — through to public relations after opening, carrying the plan to realisation and success.
Project Summary
| Location | Towada City, Aomori Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Completed | 2008 |
| Client | Towada City |
| Planning supervision | Tetsuyuki Nagata ※ undertaken while representative director of the predecessor organisation |
| Works installed | 31 |
| Architect | Office of Ryue Nishizawa |
| Website | Arts Towada / Towada Art Center |
Services
・Research (area survey, workshops, interviews)
・Concept development
・Plan formulation (drafting of the overall plan)
・Operational planning (study and formulation of operating methods)
・Financial planning (revenue model for the project as a whole)
・Architect selection (research on architects, shortlisting, drafting of proposal guidelines)
・Study and design of the project implementation structure
・Overall supervision and project management
・Selection of artists and works
・Coordination of artwork installation
・Exhibition planning
・Public relations planning and implementation